Tadej Pogačar’s run at Liège-Bastogne-Liège was cut short on Sunday after a crash 84 kilometers from the start forced him to abandon the race.
Pogačar was taken to the hospital with a suspected wrist injury, according to his UAE team. Scans showed fractures to the left scaphoid and lunate bones, according to team medical staff.
“The scaphoid will require surgery which he will undergo this afternoon with a specialist hand surgeon here in Genk,” a Team UAE statement read.
It marks his first crash-induced DNF since he turned pro in 2018.
Mikkel Honoré (EF Education First – Easy Post) went down in the same incident and was also forced to abandon.
According to Axel Merckx, who is working as a moto reporter for host broadcaster RTBF and spoke to UAE boss Joxean Fernandez Matxin, Pogačar and Honoré both suffered double punctures which caused the crash. There was an “explosion of the front wheel,” according to Matxin.
Pogačar had entered Liège as one of two top favorites, alongside Soudal – Quick Step’s Remco Evenepoel.
Updated 4:18 CEST with team medical update.
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